Her Light in the Darkness
by ThatKidFromSchool
Summary: Sequel to 'Her Knight in Shining Armor'. Morgana has been missing for over a year now. So when her small figure stepped out of the shadows, Merlin almost couldn't believe his eyes. Was she really back? AU Merlin/Morgana
1. The Return

**I do not own Merlin.**

 **Her Light in the Darkness**

 **Chapter 1 - The Return**

The forest trees were all to familiar to him now. It was probably the hundredth time he's ventured through the same woods this past year. It seemed almost hopeless, but Merlin wasn't planning on letting go of the fact that she might still be out there.

Uther surely hasn't gave up. He's sent his men to scavenge every inch of the land plenty of times.

Many have gave up hope that she's even still alive, but the few who loved her remained loyal to the idea of her coming back.

 _"I said I do," he intertwined their fingers. "I love you."_

 _She cast her eyes down to cover her blush, and bit her lip. "Do you really?"_

 _"More than anything."_

The past year, it felt as if there was a never ending pit in his stomach now that she was gone. When he revealed his secret to her almost two years ago, a giant weight lifted off of his shoulders. And for the first time in his life, he didn't feel so alone.

But the weight was back, and heavier than ever before. Sure, Gaius knew about his powers, but it's not the same as he is not allowed to use magic unless absolutely necessary. That part of him was hidden and he had no freedom to tell anyone else.

There were far too many sleepless nights as nightmares circulated his mind like the plague. It scared him more than anything to know that Morgana's fate lied in Morgause's hand. He faces many moments in where he is forced to identify bodies found lying within the woods and only hopes that none of them are hers.

He is often relieved to know that the dead bodies they come across aren't hers. Though the routine is torturous. Never knowing what he will see the next day. Afraid of what he will find. In his darkest moment, he once wished that one of the dead bodies was hers. So this torture would end. And maybe the pit in his stomach will go away.

He brushes off those thoughts. Thankful for Gwen who reminds him to have hope that she will return. Wherever she is, he can only hope she is safe.

"Merlin!" Arthur waved his hand in front of the knight, and the warlocks bright blue eyes snapped open. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," he blinked. He looked down at the path ahead. Arthur could tell from his physical features that Merlin hadn't slept last night. Or any night this past year.

"Don't worry," he reached across the gap between their horses and patted Merlin's shoulder. "We'll find her."

Merlin tried to take comfort in his words, but he could sense that Arthur was trying to convince himself as well. The knights in front of them stopped abruptly. There was a camp nearby, and they jumped off their horses to look around. The camp looked as if it was abandoned not too long ago.

Arthur and Merlin unsheathed their swords, wary of their next step. Daegal, who was traveling with them, made a loud gulping noise that was heard from the back of the group where he stood.

Suddenly, a loud battle cry emerged from behind the trees as a large group of bandits attacked them. Merlin made sure to watch for Arthur as he fought against the assailants as best as he could.

Once they had finished fighting off their attackers, they heard shuffling in the smoke as a small figure approached them. Arthur took a cautious step, gripping his sword as he waited for the figure to come closer. Merlin took a deep breath, preparing himself for another fight.

But nothing could prepare him for the sight as she stepped out into the light. It looked surreal, like a ghost.

She didn't meet his eyes as Arthur sheathed his sword and ran forward. She collapsed into his arms, exhausted from her trip, and passed out.

* * *

Merlin paced around his room, the events of yesterday reeling in his head. He chose not to visit Morgana until the morning after as she awoke late last night.

Daegal was sitting behind him, watching with an unreadable expression.

"Are you alright?" His servant asked. He swiped a piece of bread from Merlin's uneaten plate, and began nibbling on the end of it. Merlin looked at him.

"She's back," he said quietly. "She's really back." He took in a breath, the reality of it all hitting him in the face. Daegal smiled at the expression on his master's face. He knew very well of the affects that the Lady Morgana's departure had on him. He was often present when Merlin woke up in a cold sweat from his many nightmares.

"You should go see her," he suggested. "I'm sure she missed you just as much."

"Do you think so?"

Daegal thought for a second. "Well, I don't think she spent her nights crying like baby-"

"I do not cry like a baby." His servant raised an eyebrow, muffling a laugh. "I don't cry at all."

"Sorry. No, you're right." Daegal stammered softly, in a joking manner. "Of course you didn't." Merlin rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Anyways, what are you waiting for? Go see her!"

Daegal started to push Merlin out the door. "You just want to steal my food," he protested. He felt quite nervous about going to see her after so long. Considering how they left things, he wouldn't have known how to respond if she brought up how he tried to poison her. There was a lump in his throat as he thought about it.

"Go," he laughed. "Your lady awaits."

* * *

As he walked up to Morgana's chambers, he spotted Guinevere descending down the stairs that led to the room. He paused for a moment to dust himself off and fix his hair. Gwen noticed and let out a light laugh.

"Do I look okay?" He asked her. She laughed a little more.

"You like fine," she smiled. Though he didn't believe her, and looked at his choice of clothing again.

"Maybe I should change-"

Gwen grabbed his arm. "You look absolutely adorable," she laughed. "Now, come on. She's asking for you."

He took a deep breath. "How is she?" He asked before he took another step.

"She's doing well," she informed him. "Gaius says that she's recovering quickly."

"That's good," he said. "That's really good." He stood still.

"Go," she urged. "She'll better when she see's your face again." She playfully shoved him towards the stairs, walking away when she noticed him going up.

Merlin looked back for a second at Gwen, and smiled to himself. She looked much happier now that Morgana was back. She looks much more at ease. As if she was holding her breath the entire year, and only now can she breathe.

After he knocked on the door, he quickly smoothed out his clothes and hair when he heard her voice. "Come in."

He entered slowly, taking notice of her sitting on the bed. "Merlin," she greeted. She offered him a bright smile, the light shining in her eyes.

"Hi," he breathed. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel okay," she responded. "I'm feeling much better now that you're here."

"That's good." He swallowed a little, unsure of what to say next. He didn't want to ask what happened or how she survived the past year she was gone. He didn't want to pry, nor did he want to be rude. It wasn't his business.

"I know what you did," she told him quietly. "You tried to poison me."

He couldn't bring his head up to face her. "I know," he whispered. "I'm sorry." He took a seat close to her on the bed. "You have no idea how sorry I am." He raised his eyes at her for a second.

"It's alright, Merlin." She took a hold of his hand. "I understand. You were just trying to protect your friends. I would have done the same." While she drank the poison willingly, it was he who brought the bottle in the first place.

"I didn't want to," he subconsciously used his thumb to rub her knuckles. "I never would have done it, but-"

"It's okay, Merlin." There was something off about her, he noted. Her voice was so sickeningly sweet, and he couldn't understand how she was so forgiving. It's been a year, and he still couldn't forgive himself for trying to kill the woman he loves. "I'm sure you're curious. About what happened to me. How I escaped."

"You don't have to tell me if you're not ready."

She smiled again, and he smiled back. He missed her. "After Morgause cured me, we were attacked and I was taken by bandits. I was locked in a cell for almost a year," her voice became soft. He squeezed her hand to comfort her, waiting patiently for her to continue. "About a week ago, they moved me. I'm not sure why. It could have been a patrol from Camelot."

Merlin recalled, earlier this week, coming across a patrol group in a field up north. They were all dead, not a single survivor.

"The patrol found you?"

"I was so close to being free. But then I saw them killed. Every one of them. I took my chance to escape when I noticed the bandits were distracted by their loot. That's when I saw Arthur." She reached up to wipe a tear, her other hand still holding onto Merlin's. "I couldn't believe my eyes."

"You're home now," he smiled lightly. "You're safe, and I won't let anything bad happen to you. Not again." His voice dropped to a whisper at the end. He gave her hand another squeeze before standing up. "You should rest. I'm glad you're ok."

She nodded her head, and waved goodbye.

* * *

Merlin returns to his room with a strange feeling in his stomach. He shook it off, though. She was back, alive, and he couldn't have been more relieved. Neither of them have brought up the fact that they confessed their love for each other the last time they spoke. However, he also knew that it wasn't the time for that.

For now, he can only relish in the fact that she's alive and well.

"How was it?" Daegal asked from his spot in the room.

"It was good," he answered simply.

"That's… good." Daegal looked at him strangely.

"I have patrol duty for the rest of the day." He picked up his armor and cape. "I'll see you later."

"Bye," he replied, but Merlin was already out the door. "Well, okay. I'll just stay here then."

Merlin decided not to think about how odd Morgana was acting this morning. It was as if they hadn't known each other before she left. The atmosphere felt completely awkward, unlike their normally comfortable conversations. It was as if everything has changed, and he didn't like the thought of that.

She's back, but she doesn't feel the same.

Most of the day was spent on the look out for bandits that could have been holding Morgana captive. Uther wanted to make sure they can never take her again as they might be looking out to recapture her. And if they find them, they were to bring them back to the castle to punish them for their crimes.

As he was walking through the lower grounds, he found a small shadow walking towards the stables. His hand went to the hilt of his sword as he slowly followed the figure. He hid behind a stack of barrels when someone exited the stables swiftly.

He peered over and tried to make out who was leaving, but he only caught a glimpse of a red cloak. Morgana's red cloak.

The slight chance that it could be her leaving the castle caused Merlin to freeze in his place. He couldn't bring himself to follow her.

Instead of returning to his chambers, he decided to wait for her to come back. He wanted to make sure it was Morgana he saw, and not a cruel trick of the mind. However, the big possibility that it could be her gave him a sick feeling in his stomach.

If it was her, he was afraid to find out why she was leaving the castle at such late hours. He couldn't think of a single reason as to why she would leave in the first place.

He waits for her by the catwalk that leads to her chambers, voluntarily taking another guard's post.

* * *

Later in the evening, Morgana is sneaking up into the catwalk carefully when Merlin first sees her. He swallows a little as he realizes that it really was her who sneaked out. He picks his head up and moves to the middle of the hall to block her from entering.

"My lady? What are you doing out so late?"

"I just wanted to go out for a ride," she smiled. She tried to step around him, but Merlin didn't believe her and halted her movement.

"Why?"

"I just wanted a bit of air," she reasoned, but he didn't move. Morgana looks up, eyes cold. "It's none of your business, Merlin. Move." He takes a step to the right when she tries to move around him again.

He notices something dripping from her cloak. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Merlin. Let me through." He looks into her eyes for a second before reaching down to examine her leg, but she pushes his hand away.

"Morgana, you're hurt." He grabs her arm, and turns her to face him. Instinctively, she pushes him back against the wall closest to them so he lets go of her. "Morgana, please."

"Leave me alone," she snapped. "I went outside to get some fresh air. Must you question everything I do?"

Merlin faltered at her words. "Sorry. I was worried about you."

Her once warm and kind green eyes gave him a cold stare. "Well, don't. I don't need you to worry about me." His bright blue eyes dulled to show he's hurt. "Just do me a favor, and leave me alone."

* * *

A few days later, a blonde haired high priestess is seen walking the halls of the castle in Essetir. The blood guard trails behind her when she enters King Cenred's throne room.

"Morgause, what a pleasant surprise." Cenred gestures to the seat across from him.

"I'm sure you've heard the news about Uther Pendragon?"

He pours her a drink. "Yes, it appears that he's finally lost his mind."

"Camelot is at its weakest. The kingdom is susceptible to attack. Just as I promised."

The king ponders for a moment as he sets his drink down. "An assault on Camelot cannot be undertaken lightly. Even without a king, their citadel is still impregnable."

"You forget that we have an ally in the court."

"Allies aren't always reliable," he reminds her. "You never know where their true loyalties lie."

"She is no traitor," she defends. "She can be relied upon until the end. I assure you."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** The sequel is here! Yay! It's been a year, but I was busy with school and stuff so I'm sorry for the long wait. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this. And if you haven't read the prequel, you might want to if you're confused. Although, I don't think you have to. But I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope to update as soon as possible. :)


	2. The Secret

**I do not own Merlin.**

 **Chapter 2 - The Secret**

After recent events, Merlin set off in the middle of the night to investigate the cause of Uther's sudden distress. He went inside the king's chambers to find anything out of the ordinary. He stepped quietly and carefully inside the room, and noticed that Uther was wide awake and lying on the bed.

The king didn't even acknowledge Merlin snooping around, he couldn't. Merlin waved his hand in front of Uther's face to get a reaction, but he could only hear a faint mumbling of something Merlin couldn't quite decipher.

He was in the middle of looking through the nightstand when he heard the door clicking open, and he instinctively hid under the bed. Merlin winced when his head was caught in some plant like object that was covered in some mysterious goo.

He heard the sharp clicking of heels hitting the floorboard, and he dreaded knowing it was Morgana who caused all of this. He hid his face in the shadow when he saw her bend down to reach the mysterious plant covered in goo.

When he was sure she had left the room, he slid out from under the bed and followed her. However, he was completely unaware that someone was following him as well.

Quietly, Merlin followed Morgana outside of Camelot's walls and into a clearing in the forest. He hid behind a giant log that was able to cover him as a small group of people approached Morgana. He peeked his head out enough to see Morgause walking towards her. He was able to make out a bit of their conversation until something startled him.

"Is that Morgana?" Merlin jumped at the voice.

"Wh-What on earth are you doing here?" He whispered in a seething voice.

"I followed you," he shrugged. "Why are you following Morgana?"

"You what? Why!?" Merlin whisper yelled at him, purposefully evading his questions. "No, actually I don't want to know. Just go back."

"But I'm already here," he argued back in the same quiet voice. "And the woods are scary at night. I don't wanna be alone."

Merlin was infuriated because he didn't want him to get hurt. He knew what Morgause was capable of, and he didn't want him to get hurt if they got caught. However, he was so preoccupied with his conversation that he missed the last half of Morgana and Morgause's conversation. And the last bit of their conversation, as a matter of a fact, was about him.

He was about to say something back to him when he heard Morgana's loud voice. "Because Merlin's already here!" The pair immediately stood up, startled. Morgana blinked in confusion when she saw who was with him. "And Daegal?"

Morgause looked a little confused as well. "Who?" She whispered.

Morgana glared at them both. "Doesn't matter. They both know too much."

Both Daegal and Merlin took a few steps back before running at full speed in the opposite direction. It didn't do much help though because they were faster. In the end, they were both knocked unconscious by the blood guard.

* * *

Morgause stood in front of both Merlin and Daegal, who were tied up back to back in chains.

"You're no ordinary knight, Merlin." Morgause said. "Morgana tells me that you're no noble, and yet. Time and again, you have risked everything for Arthur and for Camelot. Why?" He kept his head down and mouth shut. "You know the reason, but you're not telling me."

"I believe in a fair and just land," he mumbled. He felt Daegal trying to wiggle out of the chains.

"And you believe Arthur will give that to you?"

"I know he will."

The blonde priestess pondered for a moment. "And then what? There's more. There's something you're not telling me." Merlin didn't know how he felt about this. Did Morgana neglect to mention his secret to Morgause? The woman looked genuine, as if she seriously did not know.

"There's no more."

She narrowed her eyes at him, waiting for him to reveal his secrets. "My sister used to speak of you often. I could never understand how she could praise such an ordinary knight like yourself. There's more you're not telling me."

"There's no more."

She sighed. "Well you can take your secret to the grave. _Weorc untoworpenlic_ ," she chanted and the chains that bound Merlin and Daegal tightened. "You chose to poison my own. You may regret that."

After Morgause and the blood guard were no where in sight, Daegal spoke up. "So," he stated. "You want to puff us out of here or-"

Merlin scrunched his eyebrows at what he just heard. Surely, he hadn't heard him correctly. "What?"

"You know," he hinted. "Magic your way out of here."

Merlin couldn't speak. "Wh-What?"

"I've been you're servant for a while now, Merlin," he responded. "I follow you around a lot. Arthur may not notice, but I do. I don't know how he doesn't notice, but-"

"How long?"

"About a year," he answered. "I heard you saying something at the castle of Idirsholas, and then the ceiling came apart. You saved us."

"That long?" Merlin felt him nod behind him. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I don't think you wanted me to know," he said. "Besides, Morgana had left and you were distraught so I thought it was best to keep quiet. I haven't told anyone, I swear."

Merlin didn't know what else to say. Instead, he did as Daegal asked and chanted a spell to try to free them from the chains. However, the spell backfired and the chains tightened even more.

"So is Morgana evil now or what?"

The knight sighed at the question. "I do-I don't know. I'd like to think there's still hope for her."

"Did you really poison her or-" Merlin tried another spell to unbind them from the chains to avoid Daegal's string of questions. "Merlin." The servant began to really try and wiggle himself out of the chains. "Merlin, do you- is that- Merlin," he whimpered.

Merlin looked up and froze in fear when he saw giant scorpions approaching them. He could feel Daegal shaking as the serket's come closer. " _Awendaþ eft wansæliga neat! Forlætan me a_!" Merlin was able to clear a line of serkets, but one of them stung him in the back.

In an instant, his eyes glowed and the creature flew back until it hit a nearby tree. "We're going to die. We're going to die," Daegal was fully panicking at that point.

Merlin took a deep breath, the stinging in his back made it difficult for him to breathe. " _Ω δρακον, έάω μαλερός σοφόνους φθέγγομαι τείδε άναδικέω!_ "

* * *

Merlin awoke with a sensation of pain in his back. He blinked a few times to become aware of his surroundings, and immediately sat up when he saw how dark it was outside. He noticed Daegal to the right of him, sound asleep. "Is he-"

"You're friend is well. Fortunately, he was not stung with the serket's poison," Kilgharrah informed him. "You must lie still."

"You answered my call."

"I can not resist the call of a dragon lord, even if I wanted to."

Merlin nodded in understanding. "Still, I'm grateful. We would have died out there, thank you." The young warlock frowned at the reminder of him being a dragon lord. It only prompted the memory of his late father. "It hurts."

"The serket's poison is powerful. I have given you an enchantment that will help you heal, but it will take time."

* * *

At the end of the training session, Arthur threw down his bow and arrows in the armory before going on a hunt to find his right hand knight. He kicked down the door to Merlin's chambers to find a fairly clean room, except for the unkempt bed that nobody bothered to make the day before.

"Where is he?" Arthur was frustrated, especially at the news of mercenaries flooding Cenred's kingdom. There was a high possibility of Camelot going into war. It wasn't the right time for Merlin to be missing training, or any knight to be missing training for that matter.

Arthur closed the door to his chambers and started heading towards Gaius's chambers to see if Merlin had hidden there.

"Sire?" He stopped at the sound of her voice.

"Guinevere," he turned around and smiled at her. "Hello."

She smiled back, and Arthur could see a gleam of light in her eyes. Though, she also looked a bit concerned. "Are you alright?"

"I can't seem to find Merlin anywhere, and now is not the time to be missing any training. Especially for him."

"Well, I haven't seen him anywhere," she thought out loud. "Or Daegal for that matter."

"He was here last night. His beds been slept in. You shouldn't worry."

Gwen nodded. "It just doesn't seem like him. To miss practice." She'd often see him practice for a few extra hours at the end of a session to keep up with everyone else's skill level.

"Actually, it is exactly like him," Gwen chuckled at Arthur's response. "When you see him, tell him that I'm going to make him the target at the next archery lesson."

"Arthur," Gwen chuckled lightly and looked at him pointedly.

The prince smiled goofily at Gwen. He took a deep breath, feeling much more relaxed at that moment. In that short moment, he just forgot about all of his troubles. Just for a minute, he didn't think about his father, the court, Cenred, or anything else. It was just him and Gwen.

"Sire?" Arthur blinked. He sighed at the formality, reminding him again of how they couldn't be together. He was snapped back into reality, and he remembered who he was and what was happening.

"I'm going to go see if Gaius knows anything," he said. "I'll see you around, Guinevere."

"Take care, sire."

* * *

Daegal woke up a few hours after Merlin, and was about to scream but Kilgharrah shushed him. "You mustn't wake the young warlock."

The servant's heart began beating rapidly at the sight of the same fire breathing dragon that was terrorizing Camelot almost a year ago. "You're dead. You're supposed to be dead."

"You know of the young warlock's secret," he stated. "Yet you are not afraid."

He shook his head, his breathing calming down slightly. "Merlin is a good man. He's kind."

"There is more to you than meets the eye." Kilgharrah narrowed his eyes at the young boy, observing him. "You take me as a simple, but complicated boy."

Daegal narrowed his eyes back at the dragon, observing him as well. He sighed, realizing he was talking to a dragon and it wouldn't hurt to tell him any of his secrets. "My sister was a druid," he revealed. "I don't have any magical powers, but she does. Did." Kilgharrah waited patiently for him to continue. "She and my parents died a while ago."

"By Uther?"

He shook his head. "Bandits," he said. "I have nothing against magic. I don't think people, like my mother and sister, should have to hide who they are."

"I see," Kilgharrah nodded. "So what is your role in the young warlock's destiny?"

"Well, I'd like to think I'm Merlin's protector," he joked. The dragon did not look the slightest bit amused. "Y'know how Merlin is Arthur's protector. I'd like to think I'm Merlin's protector."

In the middle of his sentence, Daegal did not realize Merlin woke up until he spoke up. "But I'm always saving you?"

Daegal jumped a little at the sound, but replied back. "That's true, but I keep you sane. Make sure you don't do anything stupid."

Merlin chuckled at the thought. "Whatever you say." He looked around and saw that it was nighttime. "We need to get back to Camelot."

"I warned you before, Merlin," Kilgharrah said. "About the witch."

"She wouldn't have done this. Not in her right mind," he defended. "We don't know what's happened to her."

The dragon sighed at his response. "Your love for her has blinded you, young warlock."

"She didn't give me up," he said. "She didn't tell Morgause about my secret."

"I do not necessarily enjoy being the bearer of bad news, but the Lady Morgana will be your undoing," Merlin shook his head. "She is the darkness to your light, the hatred to your love."

"I am grateful that you saved me, but I must disagree with you," he sighed. "I won't accept that. I'm not giving up, not yet. Besides it is better for her to be with us, not against us."

Kilgharrah looked to Daegal. "Are you not supposed to make sure that he is kept sane?" Merlin looked to Daegal, challenging him to disagree with him. The poor boy didn't know who he was afraid of more.

He scratched his head. "Uh, well, um," he gulped. "Morgana has been known to save Merlin in the past, but if she's changed for the worst then I'll keep him in check."

"She loved me before. It wasn't an act, I know it."

"I do not agree with your methods, but I do hope you know what you are doing." The dragon could only trust in the warlock's instincts. "I should tell you, it is a three day walk to Camelot from here."

Merlin looked a little smug. "I've no intention of walking."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Not a lot of Merlin/Morgana interaction this chapter, but there was a little Arthur/Gwen action to make up for that. ;) Oh, and Daegal knows about Merlin and Kilgharrah and magic. Do you guys think Daegal should have magic? And what do you guys think about Morgana? She didn't tell Morgause about Merlin's magic... huh. What's going on? lol what do you think will happen?

Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites! You're amazing! I hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter. I'll update as soon as I can. :)


	3. The Confrontation

**I do not own Merlin.**

 **Chapter 3 - The Confrontation**

Morgana watches as Daegal walks across the courtyard. Her lips part slightly in shock. She concludes that if he's alive, then Merlin must be too. She can't say she's completely shocked. In fact, deep down, she probably expected this to happen.

"Should I clear away the dishes, my lady?" Gwen asked from behind her. However, her eyes were focused intently on the servant outside so she didn't answer her immediately.

When Daegal was out of her sight, she turned around slowly. "I should get dressed." She walked over to her dresser, not even bothering to answer Gwen.

In all honesty, she truly did not know how she felt about Merlin being alive. On the outside, she felt quite angry at him. Angry that he was able to undermine both her and Morgause by escaping. But there was a small part of her that was relieved. The part of her that she buried deep down inside of her.

The tiny piece of her that she let go of months ago.

She shook her head at the thought of her old self. That Morgana was weak, she learned. She was young and naive, a fool who trusted too easily. She was never going to be that girl again. She couldn't be that girl again.

Morgana took a deep breath, and stepped out from behind the screen after changing into her dress for the day. She gave herself a quick glance in the mirror, and then headed off to find a certain knight.

* * *

After destroying the enchanted root that caused the king to lose his mind, Merlin made his way back to his room. He never did learn what it was that caused Uther's illness. When they got inside, Uther was in hysterics. He didn't have time to show Gaius what it was. He acted quickly by grabbing the root from under the bed and throwing it in the fireplace. He still couldn't shrug off the horrific screams he heard when the root was finally destroyed.

Gaius told him that the king was on the road to a steady recovery so he was more at ease. Although, Merlin was barely able to dodge his questions as to how the root got their in the first place. Merlin didn't want to lie to his mentor, but he didn't want him to think ill of Morgana. He thought it was better that Gaius didn't know about Morgana unless absolutely necessary.

When Merlin woke up the next morning, it was to Daegal who wore a terrified expression on his face. He groaned and mumbled a raspy good morning as he barely had any sleep the night before.

"I wouldn't necessarily call it a good morning," his servant said. "Prince Prat is a bit angry." Merlin heard a faint calling of his name in the corridors, and gulped. He knew Daegal wasn't kidding when he heard a loud stomping outside before he heard his door crash open.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Merlin sat up, fully awake. "I will not deal with your insolence this morning, Merlin. Camelot could be heading off to war, and I will not have any of my knights thinking they can skip practice whenever they please!"

"I wasn't gone that long-"

"You aren't allowed to leave at all!" He barked. "Not without my permission. What makes you think you can simply undermine my authority? Who gave you such privileges?"

Merlin didn't know how to respond without getting a yell in response. "What if I was dying?" He stood up and walked to his dresser.

"I wouldn't be complaining!" Merlin winced at the loudness of his shout. "And you're not. Dying. So where have you been?"

Calmly, he answered while picking out a new shirt to wear for the day. "I was dying."

Arthur breathed in indignantly at his answer. "I told you I will not deal with your nonsense this morning. The future of the kingdom rests upon my shoulders. Do you have any idea how that feels like?" Merlin slipped on his light blue tunic, wishing he could answer that question truthfully.

Daegal, quietly sitting on the bed, looked at the prince. "You haven't breakfast this morning, have you?" Arthur inhaled sharply and glared at the servant who quickly avoided his stare. He then turned to look at Merlin who involuntarily chuckled, but the knight immediately shut up at the prince's warning look.

"Gaius told me your father is recovering." Merlin said, steering the conversation into a more serious one. "I'm guessing they want you take over while he is in recovery. Which is also why you're acting like this."

"Maybe I'm acting like this because a certain knight thinks he can skip out on all of his duties without permission." Merlin walked over to the table in his room and picked up the bread Daegal delivered for him. He waited patiently for Arthur to calm down. "I'm not going to usurp my own father."

Merlin swallowed the bite of bread he was chewing. "I heard Cenred is amassing an army. The people wouldn't blame you if you took charge while your father is recovering."

Daegal added to that. "They want you to take charge actually. The people are afraid, and their leader is currently ill so it only makes sense for you to step up."

Arthur breathed in and out slowly. "Council meeting in a few."

"But I'm not apart of the council," Merlin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Merlin," he pointed his finger at him. "What did I tell you?"

The knight raised his hands in surrender. "Alright. I'll be there."

* * *

After breakfast, Merlin was making his way to the council chambers when an arm aggressively pulled him into an empty alcove.

"Morgana-"

She cut him off. "I don't know how you're still alive," she started. "but if you breathe a word of what you saw in the woods that night, I will make sure everyone knows what you did."

She made a move to leave, but Merlin held her elbow to keep her in place. "What exactly did I do?" She didn't respond. "Because I recall you drinking the poison on your own accord. I didn't force you, and I didn't want you to drink it."

He felt a shiver run up his spine when she looked up at him with a sharp cold look. Her once bright green eyes filled with hope and promise were now dulled and empty. Like the darkness cleansed her of all her light.

"You never should have brought it in the first place." She pushed his hand to the side and walked away from him.

He didn't make a move to stop her because he knew she was right. He brought the poison with him as a safeguard in case she really was working with Morgause. But he knew she wasn't or she wouldn't have taken that poison.

Merlin scratched the back of his head before running his hands across his face. He couldn't stop picturing the betrayed look that crossed her face when he accused her. He lost her trust, and for good reason. He should have trusted that she would never do anything to harm him or Camelot.

He doubted her loyalty to Camelot. And because of that, her allegiance has changed.

Merlin ran his hands through his hair again before focusing himself on the task at hand, which was attending the council meeting.

* * *

Merlin slipped into the council chamber in time to hear Sir Leon's report of his findings.

"I believe Cenred's army will reach the city in two days time," he revealed. "We knew he was amassing an army-"

Arthur interrupted him. "How many men?"

Leon had a grave look on his face. "Twenty thousand. Maybe more."

"News of the king's illness has spread beyond our borders," Gaius disclosed. "Cenred sees an opportunity."

"We must find a way to appease him," Leon told Arthur.

Arthur sighed, pushing his hair back. "We won't do that. It's not what my father would do," he looked around the room at his advisors. "He wouldn't bow down to his enemies." He turned to Gaius. "What good would appeasement do? What territories would Cenred demand?"

"We do not have to give him anything," Gaius answered. "But it could buy us valuable time."

"It makes Camelot look weak." Arthur looked to Merlin who gave him a nod of approval and encouragement. "There's only one course of action open to us." He walked over to the throne and sat on it. "We must prepare the city for siege."

Leon questioned this course of action. "Are you sure that is wise?"

Arthur nodded. "The castle is our strongest weapon. No army has ever taken Camelot." He thought for a moment. "Give refuge to the people in the outlying villages within the city walls." Leon stood, waiting for his next task. "And ready the army." He looked to his prince as if asking if he was sure. "Go."

Merlin looked to Arthur for his tasks, and the prince signaled for him to aid Leon in his tasks. He nodded, turning around and catching up to Leon so he could help with supplies and preparing the army.

* * *

Holding a basket of laundry, Gwen took the route that passed the prince's room on her way to Morgana's chambers. When she passed by, she noticed his door was open so she knocked to see if anyone was there.

Arthur turned around to see Gwen at the door. He smiled lightly. "Guinevere. Come in, please."

She held the basket at her waist. Knowing it is a sensitive subject, she asked carefully. "How is your father?"

"Gaius says he's recovering well," he answered. "But I could do better with him here."

She wished she knew what would make him feel better. She'd do anything to relieve him of his stress. "You should have more faith in yourself."

"What are the people saying?"

"They are glad that you have taken charge." She hoped that he would take comfort in that thought.

"I've committed them to a siege," he said quietly. "There's bound to be casualties."

She took a few steps closer to him, and grasped his arm lightly. "I trust you, Arthur. More than Uther. More than anyone. You shouldn't worry so much. You are doing what you believe is best, and it is." Arthur gazed at the woman in front of him. "Forget about everything else. You have to follow what you believe is right."

Without breaking contact with her beautiful brown eyes, he reached up and covered her hand with his own. Her words relaxed him in a way that offers comfort. Lately, it seems that she is the only one who knew how to calm him down. However, she slipped away from the hold and put a little distance between them.

"I should go, sire," she said quietly.

He frowned at the formality. "You don't have to call me that. There's no need."

She shook her head. "There is every need, sire." She mentally regretted coming in, reminding herself not to get attached as she knew there was no way they could be together. But for a second, she relished his warm touch as it calmed her down in a time of chaos. She'd hope her words offered solace to the prince, but she had to be on her way.

Gwen positioned the basket higher on her waist. She was a servant and he was a prince. There was no changing that. Not now.

* * *

Merlin checked to make sure his sword was at his belt while he stood next to Arthur on the steps in the courtyard. Daegal was tasked with helping the injured in the hospital as well as keeping an eye on Morgana which he tasked himself to do.

"Are you nervous, Merlin?" Arthur asked as they waited for Cenred's army to approach.

Merlin shook his head, no. "I have no reason to be." Arthur looked at him. "I believe in you, Arthur. You're doing the right thing." The prince listened to what he had to say. "I believe that someday, you will be the greatest king this land has ever known. I didn't think so before. You were a prat," he paused for a second. "You still are a prat, but I can see that you've got a good heart and good instinct. You'll always do what is best for Camelot and all of it's citizens. And knowing this, makes me proud to serve under your leadership. I trust you, Arthur, and you should trust in yourself too."

Arthur nodded. "You know, Merlin. There are times when you display a sort of," he looked to the side to think of a word. "It's not wisdom, but- yes. That's what it is." Merlin smiled lightly. "Don't look so pleased. You're a complete idiot most of the time."

* * *

As Merlin is fighting in the front lines against the Cenred's soldiers, he feels a jolt of magic burst through him and he is distracted for a moment. He senses that the blast of magic was dark as it was accompanied by a feeling of dread and panic.

He hears someone calling his name from behind him, and he runs to the source after running an enemy soldier through with his sword. When he is a few feet away from the source, he realizes it was Daegal who was calling him with urgent news.

However, something else behind the boy causes Merlin to freeze a little. He almost didn't catch what Daegal said. "Morgana's missing." Merlin gulps at the sight of a live skeleton carrying a sword and heading straight towards Daegal. As the undead swings it's weapon at the servant, Merlin pulls him out of the way. His sword clashes with the skeleton's and they duel for a bit.

At the end, Merlin is able to cut the skeleton's arm off, but it doesn't kill it. He turns behind him, and grabs Daegal as another knight takes on the undead.

"We need to warn Gaius," he said. "Tell him to close the hospital wing. I'll find Morgana."

"I think I saw her going downstairs. Probably to the burial grounds."

* * *

Merlin runs down to the vaults to find Morgana admiring a tree in the middle of the room. She hears his steps behind her, and she turns around to face him.

"You should leave now while you still can," she smirks at him.

"Why are you doing this?" He was panting from all the running. "Women and children are dying, Morgana. The city will fall." She didn't say anything. "Morgana, please. This isn't you." She remained silent. "This isn't the person I fell in love with," he finished in a voice barely above a whisper.

She scoffed at his last statement. "Please, you never loved me," she said. "You can't even trust me."

"Morgana-"

"No," she cut him off. "You didn't trusted me."

Merlin shook his head. "That's not true."

"Really?" She let out a sardonic laugh. "You were ready to kill me to make sure that I don't get in the way of your destiny. I'm sure you didn't think twice about it," she continued before he could protest. "Don't deny it, Merlin. You were quick to believe that I brought Morgause to Camelot."

As much as he wanted to tell her she was wrong, they were running low on time. "Morgana, please," he pleaded. "Just stop this."

She ignored him. "You should know, I did meet with Morgause the night before I left. She asked me to join her in bringing about Uther's downfall." He only gave her a pained expression. "You should also know that I said no. I said no because I believed in you, but you never bothered to ask me this. You just assumed that I would say yes."

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Morgana, I'm so sorry. But I wasn't so quick to blame you. I didn't believe it was you until-" He didn't want to mention Kilgharrah to her. He didn't want to explain the dragon to her while people are fighting the undead above them. They were running low on time. "I _do_ trust you, and I _do_ love you. More than anyone. And I'll explain everything. Just stop this first. Please."

"You're lying."

She picked up a sword nearby, pointing it at him. "Morgana, please." He tried to move past her, but she only blocked his path. "I know you won't kill me."

"What makes you so sure?"

"You didn't tell Morgause about my magic," he answered. "I know that you still care. I know that you wouldn't want innocent people to die because of this."

"You don't know who I am or what I want," she said. She stopped talking, instead swinging her sword at him.

He countered her movements as they engaged in a duel. "Morgana, please. I don't want to hurt you."

"You may not want to, but you will," she said. "I saw it. You're going to kill me. I know you will, but I won't let you."

They continue to duel until Merlin uses a spell to knock her unconscious, but he didn't do that until he knew for sure she wasn't going to quit. He ran over to the Rowan Tree and slashing it in half with both his sword and a spell.

When the tree was destroyed, he turned back to Morgana and lifted her into his arms. He couldn't leave her there, not after hearing about what she really thought of him. It pained him to know how she truly felt about him now. He knew it would take a while before he could regain her trust.

Though what really unsettled him was how she was so sure he was going to kill her. He wasn't going to let that happen either. He tried to once, and it was his biggest regret. He won't put himself in that position. Not again. He would do whatever it took to save her. To make her trust him again, and to get rid of all her fears. And he will try not to hurt her again.

But things aren't always so simple.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thank you guys for the amazing reviews last chapter! You guys had some great ideas about what happened to Morgana. I don't think this chapter gave a lot of clues as to what happened to her though. Do you guys still think she is enchanted? A lot can happen in a year.

Birdb: Thank you :)

theresatremblay3: Thank you for the feedback. I like the whole brainwashing idea. ;)

sjritts: Kilgharrah and Merlin don't always see eye to eye on things, but they do care about each other. Kilgharrah wants whats best for Merlin. Thanks for the feedback :)

currageously: I don't know. Is Morgana under an enchantment? ;) And thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying the story :)

Meri Ley: I'm glad you like the story. :D Some parts of the story will be the same from the series. Other parts are vastly different.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'll update as soon as I can.


	4. The Ritual

**I do not own Merlin.**

 **Chapter 4 - The Ritual**

As Morgana lied unconsciously in her own bed, Merlin waited beside her anxiously. He hadn't meant for the rocks to hit her on the head so hard. Luckily, because of the siege, nobody felt the need to question Merlin while he ran around the castle with her in his arms.

He noticed a light gash on her forehead from where the rock hit her. He placed his hand on her head to examine the wound, brushing away stray locks of hair in the way. He looked around the area for a cloth to clean her cut, and ended up using the neckerchief hanging around his neck.

He murmured a quick spell to wet the neckerchief before he carefully wiped the blood off of her skin. Once the gash was cleaned up, he whispered a spell to fully heal her of her head wound. He watched as the skin magically closed up, leaving only a tiny scar. He reached down, lightly brushing his lips over the scar.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Merlin took a hold of her hand, and gave it a light squeeze. "Please, wake up."

It had been a long night so when Merlin bowed his head down on the bed, he didn't realize how quickly he would fall asleep. Though he wasn't able to sleep for long as he felt her hand slip out of his when she jumped away from him.

Merlin lifts his head up to see her cowering away from him on the other side of her bed. He reaches out to touch her again, but she only moves further away from him.

"Get away from me," she quivered in fear. His eyes don't mask how hurt he is at her reaction. He honestly didn't mean for her to hit her head so hard.

He removes his hands from the bed slowly, surrendering. "Morgana?" She looked as if she would become hysterical if he moved any closer to her.

"Sh-she was right. You were going to kill me," she whispered in quick strides. "Just like in my visions. You're going to kill me."

He was shaking his head at her in disagreement. "That's not true."

"It was your plan all along. You gain my trust. Get me to fall for you," she panted slightly in fear of the realizations. "And in the end, you'll kill me."

He sat up slowly. "Is that really what you think?"

"It's what I know. I saw it." Her voice was no longer a whisper.

"You saw wrong," he argued back in calm tone. "I don't want to hurt you. I won't. Not if I have a choice."

She sat up. "No. I'm not falling for this. Not again." Merlin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, unable to figure why she was acting like this. She covered her ears, and shook her head. "I'm not going back there. Not again."

"Morgana-"

"Get out." He didn't move. "Leave, Merlin!" He moved a foot, willing himself to stand up. At the look of her face, he mumbled a quick apology and trudged out the door.

* * *

It didn't take long before his mind was plagued with thoughts of Morgana. He couldn't quite understand her sudden change of attitude. He's never seen her be so frightened of him. He tried to sleep it off that night, but he couldn't get it out of his head.

For the last few hours of that night, all he did was twist and turn in his bed until Daegal came to wake him up. Before he went off to receive his duties of the day, Merlin decided to pay Gaius a visit. Daegal followed after him, deciding that his chambers was clean enough.

Merlin knocked on the door and walked in after he heard Gaius's voice. "Enter."

"Good morning, Gaius." Merlin smiled.

Gaius looked up from his seat at his desk. "Merlin, Daegal. What brings you here?"

"I never got the chance to ask you about what caused Uther's illness," Merlin took a seat at the bench. "Oh, and Daegal knows about- you know."

The physician perked his head up in fear. He took off his glasses and stood up. Surely, Merlin isn't talking about what he thinks he is talking about. "What do you mean?"

"You know, about my," he whispered the last part. "magic."

Gaius almost fainted, but instead he sighed in utter disbelief. He couldn't quite put off how casual Merlin played that off. In a tired and disbelieving tone, he started to scold him. "Merlin, how many times-"

"Before you say anything else, I didn't tell him or mean for him to find out. He caught me while I was saving Arthur."

Daegal nodded. "I won't say anything. Promise." Gaius raised his infamous eyebrow, observing the two boys sitting in his room. He sighed, realizing that there was nothing else to be done now.

"It was a mandrake root," he answered his initial question.

"A what?" The boys asked simultaneously.

Gaius sat back down in his seat. "The mandrake root can serve many different purposes. It is a very dark kind of magic," he explained. "For non-magical beings, it could have far reaching effects on their mind. It would cause them to hallucinate visions that would strike fear and dread in their very soul."

Merlin thought of Morgana. "And what would it do to people who do have magic?" Daegal looked to his master curiously.

"I do not think mandrake roots would have the same far reaching effects on a magical being, compared to someone without magic. It wouldn't be as potent."

"What do you mean by far reaching effects?"

Gaius adjusted his position on the chair. "Well, if someone was under the enchantment long enough, both their mind and body would no longer be their own. They would be slaves to the person who cast the spell. If they didn't have magic."

"And if they do?"

"I'm not sure. There should be a book about it in the library, but could I ask why you may need it?"

Merlin shrugged, avoiding his eyes. "No reason. Just out of curiosity."

"Merlin."

"It's nothing to worry about." He managed a tiny smile, and the physician didn't question him any further.

* * *

Merlin and Daegal snuck into the far end side of the library so they would avoid Geoffrey. Luckily, they were able to find a book about the magical plant in less than an hour. Merlin began flipping through the pages of the book to find anything that matches Morgana's behavior. Daegal pointed to something on the page he was reading.

Merlin gave it a quick look through, and looked up. "What does it mean?" Daegal asked.

"It talks about an ancient ritual of the Old Religion," he skimmed. "The Teine Diaga." He let Daegal look through the book. "It's like what Gaius said. The ritual terrorizes the victim to the point where they lose their free will."

The servant looked up from the book. "Uther's all better now, you know," he told Merlin. "I'm not quite sure why you want to do extra research."

The raven haired knight sighed. "It's not for Uther."

"Figured that much," he said. "I did catch you ask about it's effects on people with magic." Merlin rubbed his eyes tiredly, having not slept much the night before. He pushed his hair back, knowing he was going to have to tell him sooner or later.

"Morgana's been acting a little strange."

Daegal looked at him incredulously. "Just a little?" Merlin gave him a guilty look. Morgana _did_ turn them over to Morgause who left them to die in the woods.

"She's normally not like this," he defended her. "She never would have done anything to harm Arthur or Camelot before. Uther, _maybe_. But not Arthur or Camelot." Daegal narrowed his eyes at him. "Okay. Uther, _definitely_. But she's stopped herself before."

"Does she know about you?" Merlin nodded. "Your destiny?" He nodded again. "Arthur's destiny?" Another nod. "Your dragon?"

Merlin stopped himself from nodding once more. He opened his mouth to say something, but bit his lip instead and looked away. "About that."

"She doesn't know?" He raised an eyebrow at his master.

"I didn't think there would be a point if I did. If I told her, she'd probably want to meet him, and well-"

Daegal chuckled. "Yeah, I know. The dragon's not the friendliest of beasts, but I think he likes me." Merlin looked at him in disbelief. "He's not too fond of Morgana though."

"Especially her, but I know he means well," he sighed. "I thought it'd be best if they met at a reasonable time. Which is," he stopped to think. "not now." Merlin turned his attention back to the book.

"So you really think she's under this root enchantment?"

"I didn't know before, but this morning she woke up and she," he recalled her fear. "She was terrified of me. I don't know what happened, but I think it could be what the book describes."

His servant shook his head. "That's what happens to someone with no magic. It looked like she had her mind intact when we were talking with her."

"Wait, here." Merlin summarized the paragraph he read. "A magical being can't completely finish the ritual. Their magic protects them from fully losing their mind, but it doesn't mean that they can't be influenced to swear complete allegiance to another."

"Influenced?" Daegal asked. "Like, brainwashing?"

"The ritual can cause people to see visions of their loved ones turning against them," he rubbed his face in realization. "I think that's why Morgana kept telling me that she saw me killing her." He kept reading. "It also says that these visions would play on their deepest fears and insecurities."

"How do we save her?"

Merlin dragged his finger through the lines to find the answer. "It says that someone who has been through the ritual-" He quickly read over the unnecessary details until he reached the end. "could be doomed for all _eternity_." His lips parted in shock. "Wait, what?"

"What? Keep reading." Daegal flipped to the next page, only to realize that it was the end of the book.

"There- there should be more books on this." Merlin stood up and looked through the cases again, but to no avail. He read the last paragraph again. "There's no way there's no cure for this." He wished it would be as easy as throwing the mandrake root into a fire, but the mandrake roots used on her were most likely long disposed of by now.

"Well, we could always talk to our scaly friend."

* * *

They met in a clearing in the woods to summon Kilgharrah. Merlin had just finished his night shift when they decided to head out. He couldn't avoid Arthur for too long. Most of the day was spent burying the dead and cleaning up the lower town.

Merlin _tried_ to keep his mind off of the news all day. More than once, he had to keep reassuring himself that there was a balance for everything. There must have been a cure for this. She wasn't completely gone, he repeated to himself in his head all day.

Magic is embedded into her very soul. It said that magic will protect the person from losing their mind. She's not doomed for all of eternity. Hopefully.

Kilgharrah landed with a loud swoosh. "What is it this time, young warlock?"

"It's Morgana." Before the dragon could reiterate his usual warnings, he continued. "We think she's under the Teine Diaga, and we don't know it's cure."

Merlin couldn't tell what the dragon was thinking. Only hoped that he wouldn't argue with him, and agree to help save her life. "The Lady Morgana has been missing for over a year. She is long gone," he said. "But, if it is true that she protected your secret, then she may be saved."

The knight exhaled deeply, not realizing he had been holding his breath. "How?"

"All magic has a balance. The Teine Diaga is a magic of the darkest kind. It is rare, but it is possible to save her using the light of the sun."

Merlin looked down to try and figure out what that meant. "The light of the-" When he looked up, the dragon had already flown away. "sun," he sighed. "Thank you for the help."

Daegal frowned. "He didn't even say goodbye," he sniffed. "After all that we've been through." Merlin awkwardly patted him on the back as they walked back to the castle.

He thought he would see Gaius again tonight, if he was still awake. He also planned to do some chores for him. He's getting older and he shouldn't be doing them all by himself. He hasn't had a lot of time to do so because of his knightly duties, but he'll try to make more time.

However when he reached the physicians chambers, he found that the door was ajar. He and Daegal peeked into the seep of the door, listening to the conversation.

"It is the Triskelion of Ashkanar." They watch as Gaius examines the object with caution and care. "The bind runes will guide the bearer to the tomb of Ashkanar," Gaius looked to the man in question. "We both know the legend. We both know what he hid there."

"A dragon's egg."

* * *

 **AN:** I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I sense a happy Mergana reunion in upcoming chapters! I apologize if the Teine Diaga information is incorrect. I think it has the same ideas, but I might have made some stuff up along the way. I know the cure is the Cauldron of Arianrhod, but that's Arthur/Gwen's place so I thought I'd make up a different cure. Morgana's behavior seems to have made a complete 360, but something had to happen to show Merlin that somethings going on.

currageously: lol I love reading the enchantment theories, and you were spot on. It was the Dark Tower. And I'm pleased you liked the Merlin, Arthur, Daegal part. The breakfast line was one of my favorites from show. Thank you so much for reading! :)

Guest: Soon, I promise! :) And I'm sorry. I'm not a big fan of evil Morgana, no matter how good Katie looks in evil clothes.

Meri Ley: Hopefully! Thanks for reading! :D

Guest: It was the latter lol. Glad you caught that. She thought she was too trusting, and she let that part of her go. Thank you for reading! :)

Thank you all for reviews, follows, and favorites. Hopefully, the next update would have happy mergana. :)


	5. The Light

**I do not own Merlin.**

 **Chapter 5 - The Light**

While he was cautioned, by Gaius, against teaming up with Julius Borden, Merlin felt it was his duty as a Dragonlord to at least try to retrieve the dragon's egg. He had summoned Kilgharrah for the second time that night, and Merlin's never seen him so delighted to hear his news.

He made a promise to do everything he could to rescue the egg, and he will. Even if it meant working with sketchy people.

Except things took a wrong turn when he did. He had given Borden access to the vaults only for the man to try to frame him for theft and run off to the tomb by himself. It didn't take long before Uther found out about the stolen relic, and had Arthur take a trip to the tomb to make sure another dragon wouldn't be born.

Before Merlin left for the trip, he wanted to make a quick stop to see how Morgana was doing after her head injury. As he made his way through the familiar halls, he saw Gwen exiting Morgana's chambers with her breakfast tray. He waved at her, and she smiled in return. Once he reached her doors, he knocked twice. "Who is it?"

Merlin knew if he told her who he really was, she wouldn't want him to come in. Instead, he tentatively opened the door and peeked through. He heard her take a sharp intake of breath so before she could deny him entrance, he stepped through and closed the door. "Don't be frightened."

"I don't want you here." She stood up beside her bed. She had an unreadable expression on her face, unlike the fearful one he saw yesterday.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I swear." He took a hesitant step towards her. "I wanted to see if you were okay."

"You've been saying that a lot lately."

Merlin didn't know if telling her would have been the right thing to do, not now at least. Not while she was still under the spell. He promised himself that he wouldn't keep anything from her anymore. That once he's figured out how to cure her, he'll tell her everything. No more secrets.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm worried about you." She cast her eyes away from him. "I'm going on a trip, and I wanted to make sure you were alright before I left. That's all." Awkwardly, he made a step to head out the door while she continued to look down. "I'll be on my way."

"Wait." He snapped his head back to look at her, but she avoided his gaze again. "My head." Before Merlin could rush to her side, she held up a hand. "It's alright, but it feels a bit fuzzy." He could sense that there was something different about her, and hearing her speak to him like this sparked a bit of hope in his heart.

"Would you like me to take a look?"

She shook her head. "No, you should go on your trip."

"It'll only take a second-"

She took a step back when he tried to walk towards her so he halted his movements. "I'll be okay. Honestly, I don't know why I told you. I'm fine. It's fuzzy, that's all."

* * *

By the time they were able to catch up to Borden by a few hours, it was getting dark and there was no sign telling them where to go next. They stopped to make camp in the woods for the night. It was a small party of four including Merlin, Daegal, Arthur, and Leon.

Merlin had the first watch considering the other three had all passed out after dinner. He let his eyes rest for a minute when he heard a voice in his mind. " _Emrys._ " His bright blue eyes opened wide, he stood up from the tree he was leaning on and looked around. " _Emrys._ "

He follows the voice through the woods until he sees an area of the woods filled with people wearing hoods. He realizes that he's coming across a Druid camp. One of them, presumably the man who has been calling him, lowers his hood to face him.

"My name is Iseldir." Merlin warily stepped closer to him. "Do not be afraid. We know your quest."

He narrowed his eyes at the man. "How?"

"The man you are looking for has also stole from us. He traveled through these woods three hours before you," he informed him. "He's heading east, but be warned Emrys. There is a legend of the tomb that only the druids know."

Merlin relaxed his shoulders. "What do they say?"

"Ashkanar knew that one day men would come seeking to disturb his rest," he told him. "The Triskelion is not only a key. It is also a trap."

"A trap," he asked. "What kind of trap?"

Iseldir gave him an apologetic look. "We do not know, but the legend is very clear. You must be careful." Merlin nodded, slowly stepping away from the group of hooded druids.

"Thank you," he said as he walked back to the camp.

* * *

The next day, the boys found another one of Borden's recently abandoned camps. Merlin sighed, having been so close to finding the man.

"Where are you going?" Arthur asked when he noticed Merlin walking away.

"He's heading east." He pointed at the barely visible horse tracks heading that direction. The knights and Daegal followed him all the way to a cave that was all too familiar to Merlin. He stopped for a second to breathe, and Daegal patted his shoulder.

"You alright?" He asked quietly and gave him a knowing look. This was the cave that his father lived in. It has only been a year, and Merlin barely had any time to fully cope with the sudden loss. He thought only he and Gaius knew about Balinor, but Daegal also figured out who the man was to Merlin.

Merlin blinked. "You knew," he whispered.

"I didn't mean to, but I overheard you when you were talking to him last year," he said. "I'm here if you need to talk." Merlin nodded, relieved to have a friend around who truly knows him.

They heard Arthur groan by the cave opening. "It's a dead end," he sighed. "We should go back."

"What about the cave?" Merlin asked as he and Daegal headed towards the opening.

Before Arthur could argue, Leon pointed at the footprints ahead of them. "Arthur," he called out to show the prince. They drew their swords and hiked through the cave cautiously. Merlin, however, was not so careful. Instead, he paced quickly until he reached the waterfall at the end.

Arthur exhaled at his recklessness. Borden could have been anywhere. Merlin swipes his hand through the water to check if it was clear to go through. When it was, he walked through and motioned for the others to follow.

On the other side, the four notice the giant tower and can only assume that it was the tomb of Ashkanar. Except when they took another step to their destination, Arthur saw an arrow sweep past his head. "Take cover!" He shouts and they duck under the trench walls leading to the tomb. "Are any of you hurt?" He quickly observes them. Thankfully, none of them were shot nor injured.

Merlin looks through the woods to find him loading up his crossbow. "Arthur." He lightly hits Arthur's shoulder in order to point him towards Borden's position. The prince silently motions to him and Leon so they know his plan to take him out. They nod, and run to Borden's current position while he was still unaware.

However, Merlin did not follow through Arthur's plan. Instead, he quietly mumbled a spell to rip the crossbow out of his hands and smash it against a tree. He couldn't risk him getting away again, but Julius ran before Arthur and Leon could get to him. Merlin hurriedly caught up to the two of them, but Borden was nowhere to be found.

"Where'd he go?" Arthur asked.

Merlin shrugged. "Maybe he ran out of arrows." He made to walk to the tomb, but Arthur stopped him.

"We don't know where he's gone. It could be a trap," he said. "He's probably waiting for us." Merlin groaned as Arthur let go of him. "We'll make camp, and continue in the morning."

While Daegal was cooking supper, Merlin kept watch to see if Borden was around. Though while he wasn't looking, Julius shot a poultice into the soup. When Merlin turned around, he saw the three of them passed out by the pot.

The warlock rolled his eyes at the three. He grabbed the ladle to serve himself some soup, but scrunched his face in confusion when he removed a poultice from the pot. He put his bowl down, and looked at the three again. When he noticed Arthur start to choke in his sleep, he palms his chest and whispers a spell to return his breathing to normal. He saved Daegal and Leon next.

Since they were all passed out, Merlin grabbed his satchel and decided to run to the tower on his own.

It was probably for the best. He didn't know how he could steal a dragon's egg while Leon and Arthur was with him. Especially since the dragon's egg is what the whole trip was about.

* * *

In the end, Merlin is able to rescue the egg. By the time he escaped the tomb, it crumbled into a heaping pile of rubble with Borden inside. Arthur, Leon, and Daegal had just reached the tomb when he exited.

Once they got home, he went off to show Gaius the egg. The old man was beyond relieved to see that his nephew had came back in one piece. Merlin apologized to him as he realized why Gaius was so harsh with him earlier. He had disturbed Ashkanar's peace, and the egg was almost destroyed because of it.

Merlin looked to the egg as a sign of hope. Kilgharrah would no longer be the last living dragon.

After he finished speaking with Gaius, he ran up to Morgana's chambers to show her the egg. He didn't know why he wanted to show her. He would have a lot to explain, but he went up to see her anyway.

"Come in," she said after he knocked on the door.

He peeked through the door to see her getting ready to go to bed. He walked in quietly so she could see who it is. "Hi."

She narrowed her eyes. "What now?" When she saw him lock the door, she raised her hand as if about to cast a spell.

"Relax," he raised his hands. "I wanted to show you something. It won't harm you, I promise."

She didn't know why, but she found herself slowly lowering her hand. She clutched her bed sheets nervously as he opened his satchel and took the egg out. She narrowed her eyes at it, confused. "What is it?"

"It's a dragon's egg." She widened her eyes. "No, you don't have to worry. I'm not going to hatch it yet."

"Yet?!" She cried. "Are you mad? Why hatch it at all!" She widened her eyes, backing up. "You're going to-"

"No!" He put the egg down gently. "No," he repeated in a quieter tone. "I'm not going to hurt you." He waited for her breathing to calm down before he continued to speak. "I'm a dragonlord," he revealed and her eyes widened again. "I'll explain later, but I was going to bring this egg back to the last remaining dragon. Maybe even hatch it," he continued. "I was wondering if you would like to come with me?"

"Why on earth would I want to do that?"

Honestly, Merlin didn't know why he'd even ask her given the situation they were currently in. But it felt right. It was a leap for sure, but he couldn't help it. Especially since this morning, when she spoke to him without fear or disdain.

"I know you don't trust me," he began. "but this could be the last dragon to ever be born. And we might be able to witness it hatch tonight."

"How do I know this isn't some trick?"

Merlin thought about it. "You won't know," he answered. "You can only trust that I won't hurt you." Her eyes wandered down to her feet. "You could hold the egg," he suggested. "as insurance."

Morgana looked completely hesitant, but he heard her mumble her decision.

* * *

On his way to the clearing in the woods, he ran into Daegal who wanted to see the egg hatch. While Daegal was used to hearing Merlin speak in dragon tongue, Morgana was completely new to it. She clutched the egg nervously when Kilgharrah landed in front of them.

The dragon narrowed his eyes at Merlin. "What a crowd you have assembled, young warlock." Morgana gasped when she heard it speak. He turned his scrutinizing gaze to the woman, thinking about how he could roast her right then and there.

As if reading his thoughts, Merlin stood in front of her, shielding her from him. But Kilgharrah wouldn't have done it, he knew how much the witch meant to him. Besides, she was carrying possibly the last dragon egg in existence. So he moved his snout away from her.

Daegal tilted his head up to the beast. "Is it still alive?" They all turned to watch the egg as Morgana set it down on a nearby tree stump.

"It can live for more than a thousand years." The dragon made sure to keep an eye on the witch who stood behind Merlin.

Merlin smiled at the beast. "You are no longer the last of your kind." Morgana didn't know how she felt about the close interactions between Merlin and the dragon.

"It would seem not," he chuckled. Merlin grinned at the sound. That was something he didn't hear everyday. It really was a joyous occasion.

"When will it hatch?"

"Young dragons are summoned into the earth by the dragonlords," he informed him. "Only they were given the power to do so. As the last dragonlord, this solemn duty falls to you." Merlin looked up questioningly at the dragon. "To summon a dragon, you must give it a name."

Merlin took a deep breath as he thought about what to name it. He closed his eyes and allowed his magic to course through him. " _Aithusa_."

As the egg cracked open, Morgana unconsciously grabbed Merlin's forearm. It was an action that did not go unnoticed by Kilgharrah, or Daegal for that matter. In fact the younger boy smirked to himself.

When the egg was completely cracked, a beautiful baby dragon popped his head out and spread it's wings.

The four of them looked at the miracle baby in awe. Morgana didn't understand why she started to walk towards the little dragon. Though she was a bit nervous, she held her finger out to pet the dragon. Aithusa cooed at the woman, rubbing her tiny head against her palm.

"A white dragon is a rare thing. The name you gave her is quite fitting," Kilgharrah decided to say. "For in the dragon tongue, you named him after the _light of the sun_."

Merlin widened his eyes at Kilgharrah's words, and watched Morgana interact with Aithusa. He noticed Aithusa pick his head up, and blow magical air into Morgana's face. Acting quickly, he rushed to her side in time to catch her from passing out.

"Morgana!"

* * *

 **AN** : Aww baby Aithusa! I know there's another 180 turn in Morgana's behavior, but it'll be explained next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and following, favoriting, and reviewing! It's awesome to know you guys like this story so thank you! :)

Meri Ley: I'm not sure Merlin would display his powerful magic in later chapters, not to the full extent. I don't think he would need to in upcoming chapters, but there would definitely be a Merlin/Morgause confrontation. lol I think he's got a few words to say to her. Thanks for the review :)

Garrek: Oh good! Thank you for letting me know. I was a little worried that it wasn't completely correct so thank you for letting me know. :) I was going to have Morgana go to the pond, but it was Arthur/Gwen's place. And in the show, Aithusa heals Morgana and dragons are like Mergana's thing lol.

Guest: Haha, Morgause is one of my favorite villains in the show so she's gotta live up to her title.

currageously: Morgana will be able to explain next chapter most of what happened to her, and this chapter probably answered your question about Aithusa. lol the happy Mergana reunion will be next chapter, I promise! :) Thank you for reading and reviewing!

Kumioko: Thank you for reading! :) I hope this chapter answers some of your questions lol. And Mordred probably won't return, but he could. He's one of my favorite characters so I might incorporate him in here. It'll be a while before Uther dies, especially since Morgana isn't evil and doesn't betray Uther in the worst possible way here. So I'm not sure how to answer that. Thank you for reviewing!


	6. The Reveal

**I do not own Merlin.**

 **Chapter 6 - The Reveal**

 _"Morgana!"_

Merlin cradled Morgana's head in his arms as he turned to the older dragon. "What happened!?" He asked before refocusing his attention on the girl in his arms. He leaned his head down to make sure she was still breathing.

"She's not dead," Kilgharrah responded. "Only experiencing the effects of a healing spell." Aithusa gurgled, confirming the other dragon's diagnosis.

"Is it normal for her to faint like this?"

"She has been under the Teine Diaga for quite some time now," he reminded him. "Her mind was not completely her own for almost a year, and it is exhausted."

Merlin nodded in understanding. "How long do you think she'll be asleep?"

"That depends on the Lady Morgana," he answered. Merlin turned his head to look at Aithusa, who was nipping at Daegal's fingers. He reached over to place a finger under the baby dragon's chin, lightly scratching him.

Aithusa gurgled in response to the affectionate touch. "Thank you," he whispered. He faced Kilgharrah again. "Thank you both for your help."

"I doubted your judgement regarding the Lady Morgana," he replied. "For the time being, it seems she is not on the path of darkness. Hopefully it shall remain that way."

"Why were you so quick to think that she would be on this path?"

Kilgharrah raised an eyebrow. "She plays an important role in your destiny with Arthur which has been foretold for many years," he informed. "There was never any collection of tales where the witch would become your ally, but destiny is not set in stone." Kilgharrah prepared to take off. "I have you to thank for reminding me of that. Come, Aithusa."

Merlin and Daegal waved goodbye to the dragons as they flew away from the clearing. They looked back down at Morgana's sleeping figure.

His servant scratched his head. "How are we going to sneak this past the guards?"

* * *

Luckily, due to the time, there weren't many guards on high alert. As a precaution, they covered Morgana's face in case they did run into one, but the guards didn't seem too interested. He was a trusted knight, and it was late so the guards were too tired to bother. It only served as proof to Merlin's argument that Camelot needed better guards.

Daegal didn't follow Merlin as he went up to put Morgana back in her chambers. He laid her down on the bed, and instead of returning to his own room, he waited with her in case she woke up before dawn.

He wasn't sure what to expect from her when she woke up. He'll need to explain to her what happened, and he was afraid of how she would react. He didn't know how much she remembered, and there was a chance that she probably didn't remember most of what happened.

He took a deep breath, resting his head on the edge of the bed while he sat on a chair beside it. It wouldn't hurt to get some sleep while he waited.

"Merlin?" He picked his head up at the sound of her voice. "Where am I?" Morgana tried to rise from her bed, but a throbbing pain in her head pulled her back down. "My head hurts," she moaned.

"Hey," he mumbled softly as he brushed hair out of her face. "You're in your chambers," he told her. "I'm not sure if you remember, but-"

"I do," she interrupted. "For the most part." She could recall the meeting with the dragons. It was a little foggy, but she remembered. She panicked a little as more memories of her under the spell came to light in her mind. "Merlin, I'm-"

Merlin shook his head. "You don't have to explain now. It's late. You should go back to sleep."

Her voice sounded weak as there were sharp pains in her head. "Will you stay with me?" She lifted up the covers, silently asking him to hold her in bed. He was about to protest, but she stopped him. "Just for tonight? Please?"

He sighed quietly before taking off his boots as he climbed into the bed with her, giving in. Fortunately, he wasn't wearing his armor so there wasn't a hassle. Her eyes fought to stay open as she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest. Merlin kissed the top of her head as she quickly fell asleep in his arms.

"Good night," he whispered.

* * *

The next morning, Merlin awoke to the sound of the door opening. He tried to gently get out of the bed without waking Morgana, however, the girl in his arms only hugged him tighter. He struggled to get out of the bed, but it was too late.

Guinevere had closed the door, and almost backtracked out of the room when she saw the two of them together. Her lips parted in surprise, and she bit her tongue to hide her amused smile. She silently placed Morgana's breakfast tray on the table, and looked to Merlin questioningly.

His cheeks burned bright red as a blush crept onto his face. He opened his mouth to explain, but he didn't want to wake Morgana. Except, Gwen didn't need an explanation. They were caught in a rather compromising position, but she knew nothing would have happened. He respects Morgana too much to let anything happen.

"It's alright," she mouthed to him. She made her way out of the door, making sure to lock it. As she walked away from the room, a small chuckle escaped from her lips.

Merlin managed a small smile at Gwen exposing them, and he felt Morgana shift her position. He looked down and saw her blinking her eyes open. He heard her groan as she buried her head in his chest for a few seconds before looking up to meet his eyes, her chin resting against him.

"Good morning," she greeted groggily.

"Morning," he replied. "How's your head?"

"Better than last night," she said. He untangled himself from her as he had to attend to Leon for his morning training. Morgana frowned considering he was the one who was keeping her warm.

As he put on his boots, he explained. "I have practice today, but I might be able to finish early and come see you by noon."

"About what happened-"

"We could talk about it later," he said. "I have to go. I'm late." Morgana nodded as he walked out the door, but not before giving her a wave goodbye. He didn't want to leave her so soon, but he felt it was necessary. They both recently woke up from a long night, and explaining everything now would be too much. Not that she wouldn't be able to handle it, but it wouldn't hurt to talk about it in a more relaxed environment.

Morgana sighed, suddenly feeling cold now that he was gone. She looked down at the dress she slept in last night, and groaned. She didn't feel like getting up, but she knew she had to. She strides over to her wardrobe to find a new dress to wear for the day.

She lazily picks out a simple light blue dress when Gwen casually walks inside with a slight grin. "Good morning."

"Good morning," she replied.

Morgana squinted her eyes at her maid, curious as to why she looks so smug. She then looks over to the table in her room to find a carefully placed breakfast tray in the middle of it. Although, she didn't see Gwen come in with that.

"Did you," she paused when she saw Gwen hiding her smirk. "You did."

Gwen laughed. "You forgot to lock your door," she said. "Merlin was awake when I dropped this off," she continued. "I ran into him just now. He's going on a hunting trip with Arthur this morning."

Morgana felt slightly uncomfortable speaking with Gwen like this. It wasn't as casual as before when they would fall into an easygoing conversation. Perhaps it was only Morgana, but there was a bit of tension between the two of them as they stood in the room.

"I thought Merlin had practice?" She walked behind the screen, and began to undress.

Gwen helped with the fastening of the new dress as she responded. "Arthur probably pulled him into it." She noticed her mistress's awkward demeanor, and frowned. "Is everything alright?"

Maybe it was all just in Morgana's head. "I'm fine."

She narrowed her eyes in concern, but she didn't ask her again. It was only very recently that she escaped captivity after nearly a year, and she didn't want to pry on the touchy subject. Instead, she kept their conversation lighthearted and easygoing.

"So you and Merlin," she began. "I mean I knew you two were close, but I didn't know you were _that_ close," she joked.

Morgana couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Her cheeks blushed a bright red, and she was hiding a shy smile. "We weren't doing anything," she laughed and Gwen giggled. There was a short moment of awkward silence between the two old friends, but it quickly passed. "I was afraid to be alone last night so I asked Merlin to keep me company."

When she was finished getting dressed, Morgana walked over to sit down on the bed. Gwen followed, sitting beside her. "Do you want to talk about it?" The lady shook her head in response. "Well, I'm here if you ever want to talk."

Morgana nodded. It started to feel a little more normal between them. However, Morgana couldn't shake the guilty feeling she had as she was the one to help cause the siege a few days ago. And she couldn't apologize for her part in that without revealing her magic so she found it rather difficult to maintain the lightheartedness of the conversation.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in."

Daegal peeked his head inside. "Uh," he scratched his head as he fully stepped into the room. "Merlin went on a hunting trip this morning, but he should be back soon," he informed her. "He planned a picnic if you would like to join him."

"I'd like that," she answered. Daegal nodded before exiting the room. Morgana followed after him, wanting to speak with him privately. "Daegal." She closed the door to her room, and spoke to him quietly in the hall. "I wanted to- I- I'm sorry," she apologized. "About what happened. I didn't-"

"Don't worry about it," he smiled. "It wasn't you." She wanted to disagree with him, but he didn't allow her. "I'm still alive, and I don't blame you." With that being said, he walked away to prepare their picnic.

* * *

Daegal guided Morgana to a secluded area of the woods where Merlin was waiting. It wasn't far from the castle. Daegal grinned at the two of them before leaving them alone.

"Hi," he greeted as he helped her down on to the picnic blanket.

She sighed as he plucked a flower on the ground beside them and gave it to her. "Merlin, what is all of this?"

Merlin shrugged. "I thought it'd be better to talk out here than inside the castle," he responded. "I don't think anyone would walk in on us here."

He started to unpack the basket. "Why are you doing this?" She asked. "You could have died because of me."

"That wasn't really you," he reminded. "You were under a spell. It wasn't your fault." Morgana fell silent. "I'm guessing Morgause initiated the ritual." He reached up to brush the stray strands of hair from her face. "Do you remember what happened?" She nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I tried to kill her," she revealed. "When she cured me from the poison, I thought she was trying to hurt me so I attacked her." Merlin wrapped an arm around her, listening patiently as she explained the events that happened. "After that incident, she let me go."

Surprised, Merlin asked. "Why didn't you leave?"

"She was my sister, and I couldn't simply leave her. She saved me from the poison, and I returned the favor by using magic against her." She snuggled into his side as she recalled what happened. "She apologized for using me as the vessel, but she didn't believe that Arthur would bring magic back to the kingdom." Arthur had failed the test last year after his duel with Morgause.

"Is that when she put you through the ritual?"

Morgana nodded. "She said it was for the best," she answered. "She already made plans with Cenred to take over Camelot, and she needed someone to help carry out those plans." Merlin couldn't understand how she would put her sister through something like that. He felt his jaw clench hearing about it. "I don't really remember going through the ritual, only what happened after."

"You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened while you were under the spell," he told her. "None of it was your fault."

"I should've left when I had the chance," she said. "If I did then-"

Merlin stopped her from saying anything else. "Then she would have found somebody else to do her bidding," he reasoned. "It was completely out of your control," he added. There was a brief period of silence between them. "What you said that night-"

"Some of it was true," she interjected. "But when I woke up after that night, I felt different," she told him. "I felt a little more in control of my thoughts."

He shrugged. "When you hit your head, I used magic to stop the pain and the bleeding. Perhaps it helped a little?"

"Perhaps," she agreed.

He looked down to face her. "I'm sorry if you felt like I didn't trust you, I do. It's one of the reasons why I love you," he admitted. "Because I feel like I can tell you anything."

She tilted her head to face him, brushing her lips against his. "I love you, too," she mumbled before kissing him softly. He brought his hand up to her cheek, returning the kiss gently.

* * *

 **AN:** Sorry for the late update! School's about to start and I have yet to finish my summer projects. But I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter. There was a lot of snuggling lol. Again, thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites. They're very appreciated! :)

Patty 4577: lol that would have been a great idea!

KaiaRenkin: Me too lol!

Lya200: Same she's so adorable!

Kumioko: Arthur probably won't find out about Merlin's magic. Aithusa would be cared for by Kilgharrah to do dragon things lol.

currageously: I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter as Morgana doesn't remember being under the Teine Diaga at the moment. But she is healed for the most part and is finally reunited with Merlin. :)

Meri Ley: Merlin and Morgause's confrontation probably won't come until the final chapter. This fic would probably have around 10 chapters. Thanks for the review :)


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